Headcrab Synth image - Ickus

WIP project starting out in ZBrush and polypainted.

With the situation the Combine has after the events in ep2. The dwindling Overwatch forces and loss of "citizens to recruit from.

I could imagine them turning back to their synth technology, as the rise of hunters and perhaps smaller synth creations that could replace the overwatch as they dwindle. I imagined them using a headcrab like drone that would attach itself to any human for combine direct control, rather than lose potential "man power" since at this time, vary few humans would actually consider joining them and the major loss of citizens to conscript from.

Thus with all that said, comes the "Headcrab Synth", which the more and more I see it, looks slightly like the "sacktick" or in my eyes really a head lobster/scorpion.I was more so inspired by the headcrab and merging with the shield scanner design wise while incorporating bits and pieces from other cut synths.

These would simply brute force control over the surviving human populace, serving as automatic recruitment. With little disregard of humanity in the process, rather than the human retaining their "free will' it simply kills or controls the host, which ever benefits the Combine. They would prioritize targets in terms of their usefulness in combat and potency in genetic material.It's goal is to simply capture resistance members, draining them of vital information and utilizing them as "conscripted" soldiers.Hosts too frail or unsuitable for further usage would be killed.

It's behavior mimics headcrab like predation,pouncing on the victim's cranium, asserting its control, via specialized teeth and appendages. Rather than feeding upon grey matter as headcrabs tend to do. It attempts to preserve the host's neurological structure accessing memories, skills for combat and intelligence purposes, being able to rely memory information to a Combine network. It would later induce mutagenic properties to further "conscript" the human host into a synth.